THE GARDEN PRIMER 



to be covered are curved down beneath it. This ser- 

 pentine form is repeated to the end of the branch, where 

 the tip is finally turned down into the earth. As the 

 tendency of sap is to flow to the end of branches and 

 make there the strongest growth, it is not unlikely that 

 there is an advantage in thus intercepting it by curves, 

 though some do not think it worth while. Quick grow- 

 ing vines seem to respond to it very satisfactorily how- 

 ever; and it is worth trying on the season's growth of a 

 clematis or Wistaria. 



A single plant of honeysuckle or almost any hardy 

 vine — honeysuckle especially roots very readily — may 

 be carried the length of a wall or fence by simply bury- 

 ing each season's longest branches either in the ser- 

 pentine or simple layer, and going on each successive 

 season from vfhere the last left off. In such a situation 

 the plants springing from the layered sections need not 

 be severed and transplanted, for they are already where 

 they are wanted. 



With shrubs or trees, branches must of course be 

 bent down to reach the earth. Usually they are held 

 in place by a forked stick driven firmly over them, after 

 which the end of the branch is turned abruptly up so that 

 the tip stands erect out of the ground. This is held by 

 tying it to a stake. The bark will be ruptured by the 

 sharp bend underground, and this is usually enough of 

 an obstruction in the flow of nutriment to induce roots 

 to put forth in search of more ; but lest it should not be, 

 a cleft may be made in the branch, near a node, from 

 below up, through not more than a third of the total 



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